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How to Write a BioOr

Market Yourself Without Looking Like

a Douche

Tour Smart PLUSChicago, IllinoisJuly 24, 2010

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

-Thomas Edison

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Keep in Mind

Who is your audience?

What is the bio intended for?

What do you hope to get as a

response to this bio?

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Elementary School Music Teachers

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Rock and Metal Musicians

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Tour:Smart Attendees

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Good or Bad?http://www.bmusic.com.au/links/bands/marketin/ten_tips_bio.htm

Date and City Band Was Founded

Members': Names / Instruments / Age Range

Full Name of Band

Style & Comparable ("Like") Bands

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Elements to Include

1. Who are you?

- a brief informative narrative

- 3 amazing things

- critical information

- best friend interview

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1. Who are you?

• What is this bio for?• Why are you right for the gig?• What makes you better than

everyone else who is right for the gig?

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Elements to Include

2. What do you sound like? Or who can you be compared with?

- Pantera already exists

- There has to be someway to describe your music

- Make it easy for us to like you

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2. What do you sound like?

• create a frame of reference for the reader/listener

• paint a picture by using two contrasting influences

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Elements to Include

3. Why should anyone care?

- tell them a story

- a really good story

- no, a REALLY good story

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3. Why should anyone care?

• Who is this bio for?• What is this bio about?• Are you telling a story?

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Don't Be That Band

• Don’t list your influences unless they can be heard in your music• Don’t confuse the reader with extraneous information• Don’t overhype yourself• Don’t lie• Don’t claim to be the biggest, baddest, hippest, best, most up and

coming• Don't list the brand of every instrument you play unless you are

getting paid to• Spell Check... Grammar Check... • Don't use gratuitously extraneous adjectives • Don't describe your band as a metaphor

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Examples - Cruxshadowshttp://www.cruxshadows.com/about.htm

The band's uniqueness transcends the realm of dance or club music. The rich and romantic flavor of electric violins, mixed with crunchy and sometimes biting guitar lines, gives the Crüxshadows a wide berth of musical possibilities. This is juxtaposed with the cold digital world of electronic textures and synthesis often associated with synth-pop and EBM. Add the moody musings of front man, composer, founder, and lead singer Rogue, and you have a guarantee that this band is anything but typical. Songs by The Crüxshadows are immediately recognizable. Lyrically, they draw heavily from ancient mythology, and tend to focus on themes of responsibility, loyalty, passion and faith. The band’s motto is “Live, love, be, believe,” and it serves as a reminder that while The Crüxshadows may write catchy songs, the band has depth that extends beyond the dance floor.

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Examples – Great Big Seahttp://www.greatbigsea.com/about/

Great Big Sea is a bastard. Forged from the loins of Figgy Duff and Ryan’s Fancy, GBS found its feet on the unforgiving streets of St. John’s, and stood their ground when others faltered. When asked about their unlikely success, founding member Bob Hallett is typically candid: “We weren’t the best musicians in town,” he says, “we just wanted it more. We were driven by a bloody-minded need to succeed and we were rewarded for our bleeding.”

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Examples- ToyBlock Musichttp://www.toyblockmusic.com/press

ToyBlock Music (TBM) has teamed up with national childhood GERD organization to help kids quit barfing.

ToyBlock Music is an ongoing collection of adult musicians’ reinterpretations of their favorite childhood songs. The project’s EP, Eats Paste, will be released on April 1st. A portion of the proceeds from TBM will benefit PAGER, the Pediatric / Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux Association. ............. ................Quargnali-Linsley decided to connect TBM with PAGER’s efforts because of her daughter’s struggle with the disease. “Infant and childhood GERD is not like having ‘a little heartburn,’” explains Quargnali-Linsley. ...........

They’ve since involved a wide variety of artists in TBM, including two Grammy-award winners: Ricco Lumpkins (TLC’s Fanmail) and Matt Shane (Flight of the Conchords), who are mixing, producing, and mastering the tracks. Eats Paste will feature a surf-punk “The Cat Came Back,” a dark singer-songwriter take on “There Was an Old Woman,” a funk “Wheels on the Bus,” and other unique renditions of classic kids’ tunes.

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Examples- ToyBlock Musichttp://www.toyblockmusic.com/press

Two Grammy-award winners, Ricco Lumpkins (TLC’s Fanmail) and Matt Shane (Flight of the Conchords), are featured on the upcoming release of edgy children’s music project, ToyBlock Music (TBM). The project’s EP, Eats Paste, will be released on April 1st.

ToyBlock Music is an ongoing collection of real artists’ interpretations of their favorite childhood songs. Eats Paste will feature a surf punk “The Cat Came Back,” a funk “The Wheels on the Bus,” a dark singer-songwriter take on “There Was an Old Woman,” and four other unique renditions of classic kids’ tunes.

“This is such a cool collection!” says Lumpkins, the project’s mixing engineer. Lumpkins is also producing several songs; Shane is mastering the tracks for the initial release.

TBM’s founder and president, Joanna Quargnali-Linsley, used the collection to bring together diverse artists and encourage collaboration. “Everyone on the album chose the song they wanted to do and was challenged to bring their own voice to its interpretation. ................................

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Examples – Tour Smart http://www.bumbershoot.org/band-bio-generator.htm

A history of indie rock icons: Tour:Smart

Since forming in downtown Chicago, Tour:Smart broke into the indie rock scene in 2007 with their debut album, And Break the Band. The band's latest album, revolution number three, blends Martin Atkins's irreverent lyrical stylings with experimental guitar parts to assemble some seriously inspired creations. With standout tracks like "Have a Fucking Strategy," don't be surprised if you find Tour:Smart at the top of the indie rock charts and beyond.

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Joanna Quargnali-Linsley

mgmt@misery-loves.com

www.twitter.com/MiseryLovesCo

www.twitter.com/ToyBlockMusic

http://www.facebook.com/joannaql

http://www.linkedin.com/joannaql

www.misery-loves.comwww.toyblockmusic.com